Free The Killing Times (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 1)) by Morgan Kelley Page A

after just lucking out and finding her. The male in him demanded he keep other males far away from her.
    Lily snorted and stared over at Elizabeth, hostility present in her eyes.
    Blackhawk looked surprised, still not sure what the animosity was all about , and what was wrong with Lily.
    “I’m sorry, Agent Sanderson, did I do something to offend you?” she inquired, although pretty sure she knew where this was heading. So much for maintaining her dignity and the past being the past. “Generally, I have a hard and fast rule to not piss off strangers until at least after I’ve had my coffee. I also play well with FBI agents, since I was once one.”
    “ We all know how well you ‘ play ’ with other agents. I remember you, Sheriff LaRue. I just didn’t expect you to end up here in the backwoods,” she leered. “Congrats.”
    Elizabeth braced herself. Y ep, it was about to get ugly. Did she run or did she face the woman down. This time she would do both. “If you're alluding to the incident that happened at the funeral of another agent, I assure you that I didn’t run here to hide in shame. My father was the sheriff here, and he had a heart attack and died that same day. I came home to bury him, and just never returned. I’m not ashamed of my past, Special Agent Sanderson.”
    Blackhawk found he was irate and angry at his partner’s behavior. He needed to get control of the situation and fast, before they had a brawl on the floor. Before he could interject some calm, his partner went in with the kill shot , and he felt sick to his stomach.
    “Oh, well then Sheriff LaRue, let me say that you made quite and exit that day,” she said it with nothing but pure animosity. “Not that you didn’t deserve that slap. That was the best part of the funeral, in my opinion. A home wrecker always deserves it.”
    Blackhawk froze . He watched the sheriff, to see how she’d react. He was getting ready to jump in and protect her, like he felt he needed to in the dreams. He saw the barb find its target, and then she buried it.
    “Contrary to popular belief, Agent Sanderson, I lost someone I cared about that day too . In fact, I lost two people that day.” Elizabeth stood, unwilling to do this here and with an audience. “I left my partner’s funeral because I wasn’t willing to mar his memory. I allowed his wife to strike me, because I knew she was hurting. Anything other than that is none of your damn business, Agent. While I tolerated her comments out of grief, and sympathy, please know that I won’t tolerate yours. You’re in my town, and I run the rules here.”
    Elizabeth looked over at the man. “Special Agent Blackhawk, I apologize for wasting your time. Looks like both of you can get back on your plane, and head back north. I asked for help, not this bullshit. I’ll handle this on my own,” Elizabeth threw money on the table for their breakfasts, grabbed her hat and walked out the door, slamming it as she left.
    “Lily, what the hell was that?” he asked, shocked and horrified. “You tell me I run fast and hard with the rules? You just pissed off the one contact we have in the town and our boss’s only friend. When we end up fired, this one is all on you. I can’t imagine what she ever did to you to make you act like this.”
    “Remember the woman Ray was having an affair with?” she asked. “There she goes, in all her glory.”
    “Lily,” he started to speak, trying to get her to shut up. People were staring. “I didn’t want to hear it then, and I don’t care to now.”
    “ She’s the one,” she picked up her phone, dialing Gabe. There was no way she was staying in this town with that woman. “Screw this assignment to hell. I’m going back.”
    “Well shit,” said Blackhawk. Now he had to clean up a mess before he could even begin to find a serial killer . He motioned to the waitress and stood. “Do whatever you want, Lily. I came here to handle this assignment.” Now he was going to